Circuit closer for an automatic signaling device



w M PARsQNs 1,902,578 CIRCUIT CLOSER FORIAN AUTOMOBILE SIGNALING DEVICEINVENTOR 21MB@ Parsons M c'.

AT TORN EY Filed March 1. 1928 March 21, `1933.

Patented Mar. 21, 1933 PATENT OFFICE lVII'JLIAJMI ILVPARSONS, OFSEATTLE, WASHINGTON CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR AN AUTOMATIC SIGNALDTG- DEVICEApplication filed March 1,

My invention relates to improvements in a circuit closer for automaticsignaling devices for use on motor vehicles and the general object of myinvention is to provide a simple, efficient and reliable motor vehiclesignaling device which is responsive to vibration or movemenu and whichis adapted to'control the production of signals calculated to attractthe attention of persons in the vicinity of the device, said devicethereby tending to prevent unauthorized persons from stealing a motorvehicle or removing accessories therefrom or in any way tampering withthe vehicle, and further giving a warning in case another vehicle ramsor bumps a parked vehicle, or a vehicle parked on a hill accidentallystarts to move down the hill.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a signaling deviceincluding a signal housing suspended for universal move-v ment on avehicle and having a pendulum suspended for swinging movement within thehousing said pendulum being arranged to make electrical contact withmeans carried by the housing, a substantial portion of the weight of thehousing and its connected parts being above the point of suspension ofthe same whereby vibrations will tend to impart a much greater swingingmovement to the pendulum than they will to the housing thereby renderingthe device much more' sensitive than it would be if the suspensiontended to cause the housing to swing in synchronism with the pendulum.In the present disclosure I have accomplished this object by connectinga counterweight with the housing above the universal suspension meansbut it is obvious that the same result may be attained by positioningthe suspension means between the two ends of the housing and leaving thebottom end enough heavier than the top to cause the housing to hangvertically.

Another specific object is to provide im- 45 proved means for adjustingthe width of the gap between the pendulum and a loop through which thependulum passes to thereby vary the sensitiveness of the signal device.

A further specific object is to provide improved means for. completingan electric cirleas. serial No. 258,198.

cuit into and out of the housing without attaching circuit wires to thehousing or otherwise interfering with the sensitiveness of the housingsuspending means.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Fig. l is a side elevation of a signaling deviceconstructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical mid-section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detached plan view of the sus- 65 pension bracket showingcertain electrical connections thereto.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section through the suspension means onbroken line 5 5 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing, throughout which like reference numeralsdesignate like parts, 6 designates a cylindrical housing of insulatingmaterial, as bakelite, having a cover 7 secured thereto and forming aclosure for the upper end of the housing. A metal tube 8 extendsdownwardly through the center of the cover and a nut 9 is threaded ontothe bottom end of the tube 8 and tightened against a contact wire l0whose upper end is positioned between the nut and the cover andelectrically connected with the tube 8. A shoulder on the tube 8 restsagainst the top of the cover making it possible to clamp the tube 8 andthe cover securely together. The contact wire l0 preferably extendsoutwardly from the tube 8v thence downwardly along the side of thehousing 6, thence across the housing near the bottom, thence upwardly toa point about half way between the top and bottom of the housing, thenceinwardly to 4the .central axis of the housing where it terminates in aring or eyelet l1 preferably formed by bending a loop in the end of thecontact wire and clinching a standard gromet around and within saidloop, the gromet serving as the electric contact means. A pendulum wire12 extends downwardly through the eyelet 11y andl has a weight 13secured to its bottom end, a cone threaded into a sleeve 18. The sleeve18 is surrounded by another sleeve 19 of insulating material, asbakelite, which is disposed within -the tube 8. In practice the sleeves19 and 18/may be made to fit tightly and may be pressed into the tube 8so that said sleeves become fixed relative to the tube. An insulatingwasher 40 is provided on the top of the sleeves 8, 18 and 19. A lock nut20 is threaded onto the stem 15 above the washer 40 and a counterweight21 is screwed onto the top of said stem 15.

The signal housing is suspended for universal movement by means of agimbal ring 22 of insulating material which is pivotally connected withbracket forks 23 and 24 by pivot studs 26 positioned diametricallyopposite relative to the gimbal ring. Two other pivot pins 27 and 28arranged at right angles to the pivots 26 pivotally connect the shankformed by the parts 8, 15, 18 and 19 to the gimbal ring. The interior ofthe gimbal ring 22 is larger than the exterior of tube 8 and the bracketforks 23 and 24 afford clearance for the' exterior of the gimbal ring sothat a free and unrestrained universal movement is a'orded to thehousing 6 by the two pivots 26 and the pivots 27 and 28.

For the purpose of making electrical connection with the wire 10 andpendulum 12, I terminate the pivot 27 in the wall of the tube 8 andterminate the pivot 28 in the wall of the sleeve 18, said pivot 28 beinginsulated from the tube 8. The two bracket members 23 and 24 areinsulated from each other by an insulating strip 30. The bracket member23 is electrically connected with theKpivot 27 by a conductor strip 31and the bracket member 24 is electrically connected with the pivot 28 bya conductor strip 32. Circuit wires 33 may be connected with the ends ofthe bracket members 23 and 24 at the locations where they are secured toa support 34.

One circuit wire 33 may be grounded while the other circuit wire 33 maybe connected through an electric magnet coil 37 and a lock controlled orhidden switch 36 with a battery 38. The coil 37 may, when energized,close a switch 39 and complete a circuit to a signal unit 35 which maybe the usual horn or siren. The coil 37 acts as a choke for preventingheavy charges of current from passing'through the gromet 11' and cone 14thus preventing arcing and rapid deterioration.

In the use of this signaling device the bracket members 23 and 24 aresecured in a horizontal position to a support, as a vehicle dash 34,preferably underneath and back of the cowl or instrument board so thatthis device is hidden by the cowl. When thus installed, the housing 6will be caused by gravity to hang vertically when the vehicle is at restregardless of whether the vehicle is level or is inclined or tilted.When the housing 6 hangs vertically and the pendulum wire 12 hangsvertically within said housing the cone 14 will be spaced from the sidesof the eyelet 11 and the circuit will be broken at this point thuspreventing the signaling element 35 from being energized even though theswitch 36 is closed. If the vehicle is moved or rocked or jarred, as byunauthorized persons tamperingl with, or attempting to start the same,or by accidental collision or accidental failure of the brakes, then thependulum will be caused to swing and, by moving thevcone 14 into contactwith the eyelet 11, will actuate the electric magnet switch 39 and closethe cir/cuit to the signal unit 35, thus causing a signal to beproduced.

The device may be made more or less sensitive as may be desired, byvaryingthe vertical adjustment of the cone 14 within the eyelet 11 andthus varying the width of the annular ga between said cone and theeyelet. This a justment is accomplished by loosening the counterweight21 and nut 20 and turning the stem 15 which is threaded into the sleeve18.

The shape of the wire 12, namely substantially that of a letter G, isimportant, it having been found that this shape affords greaterflexibility and gives a longer period of contact each time ythe cone 14touches the eyelet 11.

By suspending the signal device comprising the housing and stem andcounterweight from such a point that the lower portion is just enoughheavier than the upper portion to always hold the housing vertical Igreatly reduce the tendency of the housing to swing and yet leave theendulum absolutely free to swing and ma e contact with the wire 12. Thismakes the device much more sensitive than it would be if the housingwere suspended from the top and tended to swing wlth the pendulum. Whenthe housing is suspended as shown, it is obvious that movement of thebracket will tend to move the housing bodily with slight tendency totilt the same, the inertia of the housing with the signal housingthusleaving the housing absolutely free to swing on its gimbal ring support.y

When a motor vehicle on which this device is installed is brought to astop the housing 6 will quickly come to rest in a vertical position withthe circuit through the eyelet ll and cone 12 open, regardless ofwhether the vehicle is level or is pitched or tilted as on a hill, thesignal device being thus self adjusting. As soon as the signal housingcomes to rest thel driver may close the switch 36 and leave the vehicle,after which, any vibration or movement of the vehicle will operate thesignal.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawing clearly disclose apreferred embodiment of my invention but' it will be understood thatthis disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in theinvention may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a housing, a rigid stem extendingupwardly from said housing, universal joint suspen-` sion meansconnected with said stem, a screw threaded lengthwise through said stemand adjustable from the upper end thereof, a

endulum of electrically conductive material suspended from the lower endof said screw, a cone shaped contact member on the-lower end of saidpendulum, a resilient electrical conductor disposed within said housing,and means forming a horizontal contact loop on the lower end of saidresilient electrical conductor, said cone shaped Contact member beingpositioned within said loop whereby vertical adjustment of said screwwill adjust the clearance between said cone shaped contact member andsaid loop.

2. In a circuit closer of the class described,

a housing of insulating material, pendulum vcontrolled circuit closingmeans in the housing embodying -two electrical conductors,

,stem means extending upwardly from the top of said housing andembodying two relatively insulated members connected with the respectiveconductors, and two part universal joint bracket means connected withsaid stem means for suspending said housingthe two parts of said bracketmeans being'insulated from each other and electrically connectedrespectively with-said two stem members.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 2,'in which the stem means comrises an inner tube -and an outer tube of Je ectrically conductivematerial disposed one within the other and separated from each otherelectrically by a tube of insulating material.

The foregoing specification signed at Seattle, Wash., this 23 day ofFeb. 1928.y

f WILLIAM M. PARSONS.

